Arya Stark becoming "Arya Stark"

[the_nights_baron]

Upon reading the Mercy chapter in TWOW ot gpt me thinking about Arya getting back to Westeros along with the inevitable run-in with the recently married Lady of Winterfell "Arya Stark"/Jeyne Poole who is on her way to Braavos.

The Theon TWOW chapter informs us that Stannis isn sending "Ary Stark" with Justin Massey to Braavos to deal with the Iron Bank Uon completion of this mission Stannis has also requested that Justin drops of "Arya" to her bastard brother at the Wall.

My theory is that our Faceless Arya hears of the arrival of "Arya Stark" in Braavos and goes to investigate who has stolen her identity (a little bit of irony seeing as Arya is wearing other people identity ;)) She sees that "Arya Stark" is none other than her childhood bully Jeyne Poole albeit alot less bullyish, broken and "defaced" (that frostbite was rough on the poor girl). Arya may approach "Jeyne and possibly unveil herself - Jeyne may even remark on Aryas beauty(such a twist of fate). Jeyne, brutalised and tired of her life as "Arya Stark" may seek mercy from the God of Many-Faces and Arya leads her to the House of B&W so "Arya" may end her life in a dreamless sleep. The FM may remove "Arya's" face upon which the real Arya Stark don's.

Ahhhh the irony of Arya Stark playing "Arya Stark", Lady of Winterfell with Justiin Massey being none the wiser. Arya may then head back to Winterfell or the Wall hidden in plain sight as "herself". Sounds like a GRRM twist to me.

I believe Arya will eventually reveal herself as the real Arya Stark eventually but not until later in the story. The faces that are worn by the FM carry residue of the individual who lived that life and I think Arya whilst wearing "Arya's" face will experience some of the trauma that Jeyne/"Arya" had to go through....this leads into the creation of "Arya's" hitlist 2.0 which includes the Boltons and Littlefinger.

So what do you think a out Arya becoming "Arya Stark"? Sounds like a GRRM style plot ;)

[Federico]

Massey taking Jayne/Arya to Bravos after the Wall seems plausible, though clouded by non-trivial uncertainty. If GRRM wants this so, he could make it. For example, LC Jon may be dead or unconscious when they arrive at the Wall. So, Jon would be unable to reveal Arya as Jayne. However, Lady M. Would still be there. She doesn't seem to recognize Arya by appearance but she apparently can 'read' people she meets in person: lie detector, character, and more it seems. Still, sending Jayne/Arya with Massey to Braavos seems sensible. I could Jon sending Arya to Alice Karstark, as an alternative, however. Even if Jon can and does reveal Jayne, he would likely have some affection/concern for Jayne and would wish her safe. He might want her to go with Massey, as Jayne, maybe as Arya, if a motive arises.

I think the idea of Arya wearing Jayne's face is very clever. I would hope that the required death of Jayne would not be by Arya. It is, however, many character choices away and therefore of low probability. Also, we do not know that Arya can wear another's face without assistance/enablement from FM folk. Thus, what would be the FM motivation for placing Arya in Jayne's face in WF? There may be size limits such that Arya might be the only FM member/accolite small enough to pass as Jayne/Arya. Then again, the FM seem averse to using FM personnel familiar with the target.

Another factor, not only affecting Arya's return to Westeros but Massey's to Essos, travel across the Narrow Sea is very dangerous at this time. I'm wondering would-be travelers will go south before venturing across the Narrow Sea in either direction. That introduces potential complications: characters meeting other characters they otherwise wouldn't. If traveling south by sea along Westeros is unsafe, then Massey doing so by land exposes him to other risks.

Tick, tock, tick, tock GRRM; I'm going mad with the anticipation.

Fed

[Nashman1]

If Arya was sent to replace Jeyne it more than likely wouldn't be with the permission of the Faceless Men. They seem to frown on personal investment in their work, as their kills are usually people unacquainted with their killer. Acquainting yourself with the victim would go against the Faceless Men having no identity, and having a personal vendetta wouldn't making it a gift the many faced god but a personal gift. We also don't know whether a person is required to die to use their face. I kind of thought that was a kind of entry level face shift, while later on you could do it without needing the persons actual skin.

It's possible to skip all the back and forth of Arya meeting fArya if Izembaro takes Arya to Westeros. If Roose or someone hires Izemaros mummers troupe the could end up anywhere, I suppose. If Massey is bringing back an army from Braavos a few mummers might follow for work or to record the battles for plays. This might bring Izembaro and Arya near Winterfell. Arya could meet Jeyne, or maybe not at all. Maybe she's just recognized as Arya, caught, and returned to Ramsay. Ramsay wouldn't say a word about the previous illegitimate Arya and now they've switched.

Plenty of ways it could happen. What I like about this scenario is dumb, girly, simple Jeyne gets replaced by Arya who is now a trained assassin, and put right in Ramsey's way for a head on match up. Ramsey expects to had a docile little lordlings daughter and... Arya proves him wrong.

[Lord Spark of House Spark]

if jeyne asks for the gift for Ramsey, her face could be the price. Arya does not know Ramsey, so it could work with FM permission.

I can't see it happening, but it would be kinda cool.

[kephv]

Possible foreshadowing that "Arya" will head to Braavos: Jon thinks at one point that if Arya comes to the Wall he'd send her to one of the free cities, and he mentions Braavos. ;)

I think it's a good theory, only I don't see her using it as her means to get back to Westeros. More likely she'll use Jeyne to stir up more trouble in Braavos, though I like the idea that she'll keep her face.

[the_nights_baron]

I don't think Arya will kill Jeyne. I think Arya will bring "Arya" to the House of B&W and give her the sweet sleep poor Jeyne needs. (The girl has been through enough)

Before passing I think that Jeyne will spill all about the situation in WinterfellKings Landing....further giving Arya a push to head back to Westeros.

[Shireen Shireen]

if jeyne asks for the gift for Ramsey, her face could be the price. Arya does not know Ramsey, so it could work with FM permission.

I can't see it happening, but it would be kinda cool.

It would be cool if Jeyne could be the one to cause Ramsey's death!

[evita mgfs]

So many great ideas with plausible outcomes.

My "idea" about Arya "becoming" Arya involves character epiphany, or sudden enlightenment, and the catalyst to this eventful recognition scene will be Needle, the bravos' sword. Of course, for this to happen, Jon Snow needs to survive in some form.

Jon - or Ghost - or JonReborn - will meet up with Arya, who will be wearing a false face. I do not think that Arya will recognize Jon either. But Jon will recognize Needle - I think Martin can write this scene in his magic way, scrambling things up and setting them forth, evocating suspense and tension up to the moment Jon demands to know where "Arya" procured the blade.

BTW: I am convinced that once Arya takes on a "new face", that face is "not" surgically removed in order to restore Arya's visage. The servant of "Him-of-Many-Faces" will "absorb" each face, a magic Arya learns in her training. Within Arya she will "store" many faces, and at a moment's notice, she will be able to transform her likeness, calling forth an identity from her

repertoire.

Jaqen H'Ghar alters his appearance with the wave of a hand - so will Arya.

I do not see Arya breaking all the FM bylaws. She will not be assigned to kill those she has known, nor will Arya deviate from her list - well, not necessarily. I see her putting her Needle to good use but in such a way that we Arya fans will find evidence of her redemption. I anticipate all sorts of Martin twists with these face switcheroo's, which are separate and apart from the acts of warging a wolf or skinchanging a cat.

Those Faceless Men - just as the Singers and BloodRaven - have tracking devices on their Starks. Him-of-Many-Faces seems a manifestation of the nameless, faceless gods of the north, and Arya and Bran may be situated exactly where they are needed for the moment.

Martin strongly suggests throughout Theon's - and the many names Martin uses to identify Theon, such as Reek - POV's in ADwD that Bran is "present", and each POV discloses Bran's growing powers and his control over them. At first, he needs the wind and leaves to speak to Theon beneath the heart tree in WF; later, he speaks Theon's name WITHOUT the wind or the leaves. Then Bran removes a leaf- a bloody hand -and guides it to Theon's forehead, where it brushes his skin, then falls into the black pond.

Bran as a greenseer is endowed with great magical powers that are earth driven; similarly, Arya will discover her powers to control a natural element, most likely water. Moreover, Bran's appearance in her dream echoes Jon Snow's Ghost dream, when through Ghost, Jon sees Bran's face on the trunk of a weirwood sapling that leans forward to touch his head [similar to Bran touching Theon in the godswood]. With that said, Bran is reaching out across the narrow sea and visiting Arya through her wolf dreams. Hence, Arya will always know whom she is - and her brother will make sure of that too, unless Martin intends to give Arya a head injury, medicate her with a "forget me" drug, or drive her mad - anything is possible.

[Rippounet]

Bran as a greenseer is endowed with great magical powers that are earth driven; similarly, Arya will discover her powers to control a natural element, most likely water.

I hope not, waterbending belongs to another universe. ;)

Interesting way to classify "magic" in ASoIaF though.

[Petyr Patter]

Hmmm, I am really hoping for a better end for Jeyne than simply death cult assisted suicide.

If Jeyne does meet Arya, it would certainly be an interesting conversation. However, I will point out the the Death Cult Arya now serves is pretty evil, and their outlook on life and death is as well. I hope Arya does not buy so completely into their outlook that she feels killing Jeyne is an improvement, especially now Jeyne is free of Ramsey.

[joluoto2]

I think the most important thing for "Arya" and "Arya" to meet would be a question of identity. Certainly there is no need for two "Aryas".

[siknes]

This theory would be great with Real Arya meeting her betrothed Ramsey and killing him, along with his traitor father. This is all if they are still alive after Stannis and Manderly have their ways.

[Giorgio Corrado]

I think most likely Ramsey will be killed during the battle for Winterfeld by Stannis or Theon during the battle as for Roose Bolton I seem escaping to Braavos after loosing the North and trying to avoid Cercei's wrath. With F-Arya also heading for Braavos for safety would meet Arya where Arya would see the chance of killing Roose by using F-Arya's face and kill Roose.

[espresso]

how Jeyne can reach Braavos:

Massey takes fArya to the Wall, finding her brother unconscious, decides to take her to Braavos with him.

May be Jon shared his plans of sending Arya to the free cities with someone,

or simply Jeyne will take her chance of not being identified as fake by Jon (him being unconscious) and head to Braavos with massey.

Also, given Massey's nature, he may choose to steal WF's daughter for himself.

fArya reaches Braavos, meet real Arya somehow. or,

she reaches Pentos, meets Edric Storm. new POV?? Salladhor marries fArya to Edric, thinking it will please Stannis or do him some good(LF style).

Massey wont find any sellsword companies in Essos: all are busy fighting in Meereen and GC is in Westeros. Will Massey turn back and enquire who hired GC?

Or will he go meet Dany and pledge allegiance? unlikely, coz he was Roberts man.

I guess Massey will die somehow.

Arya gets into a ship to Westeros, but gets shipwrecked and is found by Dany and the IB. She pretends to be Jeyne Poole, friend to Sansa, to explain how she knows about KL and WF, Starks and Lannisters etc. Then the real Arya posing to be Jeyne meets Jeyne posing as Arya, maybe in Pentos or Volantis. Showtime!